Anasazi State Park Museum
Anasazi State Park Museum is a state park and museum in Garfield County, Utah, featuring the ruins of an ancient Anasazi village referred to as the Coombs Village Site. Overview This park is administered by Utah State Parks which is a division of Utah Department of Natural Resources. Discover the beauty and history found in the many State parks of Utah. A wide variety of great activities are available including over 2000 campsites. See also Scouting in Utah. Established as a Utah state park in 1960, the 6-acre (2.4 ha) Anasazi State Park Museum is open year-round, and features a visitor center, a museum with examples of Anasazi pottery and other artifacts, a museum store, an auditorium, and picnic areas. There is no camping. The park is focused around the reconstructed ruins of an ancient Anasazi village, referred to as the Coombs Village Site, which is located directly behind the museum. There is a self-guided trail visitors can take through the village with interpretive signs explaining the various features of the village, and the culture of the people who once lived there. Local History Coombs Village Site The Coombs Village Site is the site of one of the largest Anasazi communities known to have existed west of the Colorado River. The name Anasazi, Navajo for "Ancient Enemies," or "Enemies of Our Ancestors" describes the Pueblo culture that existed in the Four Corners area from about 1 AD to 1300 AD. This village is believed to have been occupied from 1160 AD to 1235 AD. As many as 250 people lived there. The village is largely unexcavated, though there was a brief excavation during 1958 and 1959, conducted by the University of Utah as part of the Glen Canyon Dam Project. During that excavation, archeologists uncovered thousands of artifacts, and discovered a community of about 90 rooms divided into two separate one-story apartment complexes. An L-shaped building has been reconstructed and can be entered into by visitors. The cluster featured open shelters for working in the shade, storage pits, and adobe pit houses large enough for five or six residents. All together, about 100 structures have been found. Evidence, such as singed structural building supports, suggest that the town was abandoned after a village-wide fire. There was also a serious drought occurring in the region during that time that may have also been a factor. Wildlife and Nature Camping Trailheads Anasazi Loop: Short, easy trail to the ruins. Park Recreation Park Headquarters External Links * Museum Website References * [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1760340642/maintourvacationA/ National Parks of America] - an informative and gorgeous tour of all 59 parks with our lavishly finished hardcover gift guide packed with detailed itineraries and practical tips on what to do and see in each park (2016 - Parks 100th Anniversay Edition) * '' State Parks of Utah'' - the state parks are so rich in history, varied in beauty, and abundant in recreational opportunity. * [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0899977243/maintourvacationA/ Utah's National Parks]'' - 50 popular short hikes where each holds some of the most awe-inspiring geology on the planet. Each park offers visitors the dramatic scenery that invites exploration and discovery.'' Category: Utah archaeology Category: Utah indian lore Category: Utah Category: Utah state parks Category: US state parks Category: Utah adventures Category: Utah museums Category: native american museums Category: state park museums Category:Indian lore Category:Archealogy